Two of One
by Loen Nireth
Summary: Dark and Light have always been two seperate beings, seperate people. So what happens when one day, one is born as both...? Once again, I'm not sure about ratings. Yaoi, mainly Takouji of course and OCxsomeone I don't know yet! [ON HOLD!]


Disclaimer: Gods, do you really need to be told that I don't own Digimon?

Prologue: Ebony Wings

Kirastood and stretched, hoping to get his blood to circulate again in his cramped muscles. He sighed and stared up into the darkening evening sky, wondering vaguely if his mother had already prepared dinner at home.

Shaking his head, he smiled a little as he unstrung his yew bow and slipped it back into the leather tube that hung across his waist. After swinging the quiver of arrows on the ground over his shoulders, he bent down and picked up the small doe that lay dead on the forest floor, an arrow to its neck. He pulled the arrow out and threw it to the side before swinging the doe over his shoulder.

His brother would be proud when he got home with this, he just knew it. The doe was small, but at least it would last them a week or so. True he felt slightly guilty for killing it, but he'd recited the Hunting Prayer to Morthin1, and his arrow did hit the doe, so that meant that the gods had allowed this.

Saying a silent thanks, he turned around and began his trudge through the forest and back home.

Home, toKira was a small, wooden cottage that stood alone in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by a forest of high, oak trees that stood tall and towering. The cottage itself wasn't very large, and it seemed even smaller amidst the forest that cloistered around it. A small garden of herbs and vegetables lay in a neat square a little ways to the right of the cottage, looking well tended and there wasn't even a sign of overgrowing weeds.

Kira, staggering slightly under the weight of the doe (it wasn't very heavy, but he was 6, you can't blame him for that), looked up from the edge of the clearing and saw a dark figure hunched over the small garden.

"Kouichi!" he squealed delightedly, dropping the doe to the dirt covered ground.

The dark figure looked up and dark blue eyes widened in surprise and joy. "Kira! There you are!" he shouted, opening his arms wide as the small boy ran straight into him. "You're late, you know!"

Kiraburied his face in his brother's chest and replied, "Yeah, I'm sorry."

Kouichi just shook his head, smiling. "Well, anyway, you really shouldn't stay out so late. Mother will worry too much and Dorran2 will get you!"

Kiragrinned and scoffed, pulling away from his older brother. "Hah! You can't fool me, Kou. Dorran's just an oldwives' tale, told to scare children so they won't go wandering off into the forest."

The older boy stared at him for a second before shaking his head. "You really shouldn't read too much, Kira, you're too smart for your own good."

Kiralaughed and retorted, "You read a lot, too, and just because you're two summers older than me doesn't mean I can't know as much as you."

"Fair enough, but still, you shouldn't go off like that too long. You know better than to worry mother and the forest isn't all fun and games," chided Kouichi gently.

Kirahung his head in shame. "I know. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter, besides, you're here now right? And that's all that matters," said Kouichi, pulling his younger brother into another hug.

Kirahugged him back, then pulled away, yelping.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Kouichi frantically, panicked by the sudden cry.

Kirarubbed his head before saying, quite sheepishly, "I forgot to tell you I caught something."

Kouichi almost fell to the ground at his answer. "Err, right…"

Kira smiled and ran back to where he left the doe, dragging it over to where Kouichi stood, still trying to figure out how the boy could think about something serious and suddenly remember something else totally random.

But his wonderings were left forgotten when he saw the doe that the younger boy was dragging. It wasn't very large, as mentioned before, but it was larger than anything any other six-year-old would catch. Kouichi bent down and helpedKira carry the doe, smiling at him, proud that his younger brother had accomplished such a feat that was considered impossible to a village child.

Kira, happy that his brother was proud of him, beamed back and ran up to the cottage first, bursting through the thick, wooden door, calling out, "Mama! I'm back!"

A woman, not young nor too old, came into the hallway from a doorway that led into the cottage's small kitchen, dark blue-grey eyes searching out her youngest son.

"Kira!" Tomoko, pulling him close to her. "Dear Hornel3 I was so worried about you!"

"I'm fine, Mama!" answeredKirassuringly. "You needn't worry. And I brought something back, as well!"

Tomoko sighed as she pulled him close and looked up toward the front door, smiling when she saw Kouichi with the doe over is shoulders. Kouichi smiled back at her and jerked his chin toward Kira, who was still pressed against the white folds of the woman's dress.

Tomoko smiled and pulledKira away, looking down into his bright, silvery-white eyes that shone with a light of its own in the dimly lit hall.

"Kira, why don't you go get cleaned and come back later for dinner? Kouichi and I will go skin the doe," she said, gently pushing Kira towards the direction of the bathroom, which was situated at the end of the hallway, a door away from the kitchen.

"Okay!" said Kira, smiling as he skipped off down the hall, not noticing the sad look in his mother's eyes, or the worry in his brother's.

"How long, Mother?" asked Kouichi, walking over towards the dark haired woman.

"I don't know, Kouichi," she sighed, taking the doe off his shoulders and motioning for him to follow her into the kitchen.

The small, clean room had a stove in one corner and a square, wooden table in another, with three wooden chairs that were currently unoccupied. There was also a long wooden counter beside the stove that had many drawers, holding many things that were expected to be in a kitchen. Placing the doe onto the counter, Tomoko sighed again and sat on one of the chairs.

Kouichi did the same, making sure that the chair he sat in was facing her.

"Maybe six or seven years," said Tomoko, staring sadly at the table.

"And then?" asked Kouichi. "Then what? Are we to just sit and do nothing?"

"I wish it were not so, dear child, but destiny is beyond us mortals," replied Tomoko. "Kira was given to us for a reason, just as… Kouji taken away from us had its purpose." Her voice had cracked when she uttered the name of her second son, but she managed to keep he eyes clear. She needed to be strong, if not for herself, then for her sons.

"Kira has a destiny that you must help fulfill," she continued, still staring at the table. "And to do so, you must accept what and who he is to become."

"How can I do that, Mother?" cried Kouichi, struggling to keep his voice down so that Kira would not hear. But he was finding it harder and harder to not be angry that he was going to have to watch another one of his brother taken away from him. Or something even worse.

"I know it is not easy, Kouichi, but you must have faith," Tomoko all but whispered to him, clutching one of his clenched fists comfortingly.

Kouichi just shook his head in silent rage as tears began to stream down his pale cheeks.

"Mama? Kou?"

Both heads in the kitchen turned toward the door into the kitchen, where a small, scared looking Kira stood shivering, his long, dark hair damp and limply falling below his shoulders. His bright eyes were dull and slightly grayer than usual while his pale skin paler than even the light of the moon. And if Tomoko and Kouichi weren't so preoccupied with the look of terror on his face, they would've probably noticed the strange bulges behind him.

"Kira! What's wrong?" asked Tomoko, immediately getting up from the chair and fussing over the young boy.

He had obviously just come out of the bathroom, for he was still clad only in a towel. Still shivering, Kira looked up at Tomoko and pulled the soft towel tighter over his shoulders.

"W-w-what are they, M-m-mama?" stuttered the petrified boy, greyed eyes wide with fear.

"What do you mean?" asked Tomoko, glancing at Kouichi, who had moved to the boy's side as well.

Kira did not answer. Instead he turned around and dropped the towel.

Tomoko and Kouichi both gasped at the sight of two, very large yet very soft, pitch black, outstretched, ebony wings that protruded from Kira's shoulder blades.

Kira turned back round to face them, crying. "M-mama! W-w-what are they?"

Tomoko's brows furrowed and she quickly pulled him close to her, making sure to not touch his, yes, wings.

"Shh, it's okay, love, it's all right," she whispered soothingly as Kira clung onto her neck tightly.

"Let's get you to bed, okay?" she said, picking him up into her arms. Kira barely nodded as he continued to cry, snuggling his head deeper into her neck.

Tomoko looked at Kouichi, who seemed too shock too say anything, and looked at him questioningly.

Kouichi looked up at her and nodded. He gave Kira's shoulder a gentle squeeze before going back into the kitchen to take care of the doe.

Tomoko went down the hall and towards the stairs, quite awkwardly, as she was not very used to carrying someone with wings.

When they reached Kira's bedroom, Tomoko laid him on his side on the single bed in the middle of the room. Kira stared straight ahead as she knelt down in front of him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. Kira looked at her through tear-filled, grayed eyes and sobbed.

"Mama!" he whispered, once again on the verge of breaking down into tears.

Tomoko put a finger on his lips and pulled a blanket over him, covering every inch of his body and wings.

"It's okay, love, go to sleep," she whispered. "I'll tell you a story."

Tomoko smiled at him and he nodded his head then closed his eyes. Tomoko sighed and pulled out something from her dress, something that was attached to the thin, black leather cord that hung around her neck.

The silver of the small, steel object gleamed in the dark bedroom, catching the light of the moon that shone through the window at the far end of the small room.

Tomoko looked at Kira's small, pale face and softly chanted,

_"When two of one is born a pair,_

_When Dark and Light both share one heir,_

_When Fire burns; eternal Light,_

_When Dark grows weak and loses might._

_When Thunder cease to strike the skies,_

_When Winds stop blowing clouds up high,_

_When Ice stop freezing and begin to melt,_

_When pure, white Waters start running red._

_When the earth begin to crack and quake,_

_When families fight families and harbor deep hate,_

_When Humans and Elves squabble and fight,_

_When all wrong run loose and nothing is right."_

Kira was, by now, fast asleep and Tomoko, still holding the object in the moonlight, pulled the cord that held it off.

She gently pressed the small, silver amulet against Kira's forehead and, almost immediately, it began to glow. Brighter and brighter it became, until Tomoko was forced to shut her eyes.

When the light subsided, Tomoko opened her eyes again and pulled the amulet away. Where the silver object had been pressed, there was now a small, strange symbol that seemed to be part of his skin, glowing softly in the dark.

Then Tomoko somehow managed to tie the cord around Kira's neck and the amulet glowed a little bit before returning back to normal. The slight bulges under the covers of the bed behind Fate slowly began to fall, and when Tomoko pulled down the covers a little, she was relieved to see that his wings were gone.

Pulling the covers back up, Tomoko sighed and stroked Kira's long hair gently, softly chanting once again.

_"Only one can stop the threat; _

_As one of two; as nothing lacked. _

_As Keeper of Eternal Light, _

_As Master of the Day and Night. _

_And with him there be one of Fire, _

_Who knows not how to control his ire. _

_And as the Lord of Flames he stands, _

_He, the fierce Protector of the lands. _

_Then comes he, the Wanderer, _

_The one who bears the Darkness's powers, _

_The one who, like the Dark itself, _

_Can see the heart of any Man or Elf. _

_And at last, comes he, the Light, _

_He, the Keeper of the Right, _

_He, the Master of all Life, _

_He, the Light of Hope in strife. _

_Together they shall form a whole, _

_Each with his path and role, _

_And though, at first, separated, _

_In the end, they are united." _

That night, Tomoko couldn't sleep. She felt a fear that she could not explain. And when she finally turned for the fifth time in her bed, she understood why.

A few miles away from the clearing where the cottage stood, a small group of Trackers4 were sniffing around, looking for something… or someone.

Tomoko quickly got out of bed and straight out of her room. Fortunately, she had gone to bed in her clothes, so at least she didn't have to run around half naked.

She headed straight into Kouichi's room and shook her son awake, pushing away a pang of guilt at waking him up at this hour.

"Mother? What is it?" murmured Kouichi, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Trackers. In the forest. I have to get them away," said Tomoko quickly, gripping his shoulders and staring into his sleepy eyes.

They weren't sleepy anymore, though, when Kouichi realized what his mother was saying. He was immediately alert, dark blue eyes looking at her attentively. "Where are they? How many are there? And how long will you be?"

Tomoko mentally smiled at the maturity of her eldest son, though she also felt a little sad that he had to grow up so fast.

"They're somewhere in the forest, I don't know how many and as for how long I'll be…" At this, her grip on Kouichi's shoulders had tightened a little. She knew what she was going to ask him to do was going to be hard for him, but she had no choice. She shook her head a little and looked into his widened eyes.

"Kouichi. Listen to me carefully. I really wish I'd never have to do this, but it seems impossible to avoid it now."

Kouichi looked back at her, worried. "What do you mean?"

"Kouichi, you've always known that the Empire would catch up to us eventually. Well, now, I believe they have. The Trackers aren't here by accident. They smelt us out, and now, I have to keep my promise to your father and protect you and Fate."

"But, Mother!" protested Kouichi, but she silenced him with a finger against his lips.

"No, Kou," she said sternly. Then she softened a bit. "Please. Fate needs you. I… I have to do it. I'm not going to lose the two of you. Not like Kouji."

Kouichi looked at her before nodding his head slowly. "All right… But… what am I going to tell Fate?"

"Just… tell him I had an accident in the forest. Make up a story. Just make sure he thinks I'm… gone."

"What? Why?"

"If he thinks I'm dead, he won't try to look for me." Tomoko's eyes hardened at the thought of making Fate think she was dead. It was painful but… necessary. Besides, she was probably going to die anyway… "You know what he's like, Kouichi. Just as stubborn as Kouji."

Kouichi's serious eyes began to water, but he kept them back. "All right, I will."

Tomoko gave him one last squeeze before she stood up and left his room. Kouichi was right on her heels.

When Tomoko had opened the front door, Kouichi grabbed her sleeve and she turned around, almost gasping when she saw him. Truly saw him. Not the responsible, mature Kouichi, but the small, scared little kid he could've been, had he not have to hide from power-hungry Emperors.

"Mom," whispered Kouichi, crying freely and gripping her sleeve tightly. "Be careful."

Tomoko smiled softly at him and held his hand in hers. "I will. Take care of your brother for me, Kou. And yourself."

Kouichi nodded and let go of her sleeve. Tomoko gave him one last smile before turning and running into the forest. Even the light of the half moon that hung high in the sky could not penetrate the darkness that clung to the oak woods and Tomoko's white form immediately disappeared from Kouichi's sight.

"Vieda," whispered Kouichi, tears still streaming down his cheeks.

Loen: Heehee! Another crappy and pointless fic by me! Sorry for the oh-so-sucky 'prophecy', by the way, but I just had to get this freaking story outta my head! Oh, and for those who jump to too many conclusions, do not, for any reason at all, think that I would kill off Kouji! He's not dead, you hear me! Merely... indisposed of, if you catch my drift... -

1: Morthin is the God of the Hunt in this world and it's tradition for a hunter to pray to him before killing a prey.

2: Dorran is their equivalent of the Devil and old people always warn children about him.

3: Hornel, Lord of Creation, the consort of the Lady.

4: Trackers are a race of half-man, half-wolf, bred and trained by the Empire to track down certain objects or people.


End file.
